Slayers YOUNG
by Teefa and Co
Summary: Takes place 15 years after TRY. The royal carriage is attacked on its way back to Seyruun. Now, the only hope for 8 year old Prince Noel de Greywers Seyruun is Zel's 10 year old apprentice...Mina Felicia
1. The History of Mina Felicia

A New Generation. The History of Mina Felicia

'Where is this' the girl asked herself, 'And why do I feel as if I've been here before?' She was a young girl, perhaps ten at the most, and a wee bit short for her age. Draped in a black cloak held with a golden charm in the shape of a crescent moon, the only visible part of her face was her bright blue eyes. Underneath, the girl wore a sky blue tunic and light blue breeches. She also had on a gold belt with a ruby in the center and a golden chain that came down from it; this held her sheath and sword. Her gloves and boots were both a sandy color, and she had a bracelet that resembled her belt around both wrists and both ankles. Finally, around her neck on a long golden chain, was a pendant in the shape of a crescent moon.

The sounds of magic and swords clashing could be heard in the distance. As the girl went in for a closer look, she spied what appeared to be an infant hidden in a rotting tree stump surrounded by tall grass. The girl child cooed peacefully, unaware of all the turmoil around her. It made the older girl feel a bit funny.

"Well, it looks like the fighting won't be over for awhile. We will leave here now," a disembodied voice spoke from behind. The girl turned, only to see a large shadow. It picked up the baby, and then the forest faded out. A new woods appeared in its place, this one definitely familiar. It was near Seyruun.

The shadow placed the infant in the grass, and turned to leave. He told her, "My job is done, I have no need to see what happens further. Whether you live or die is none of my concern now." With that, he vanished. Good thing for him; if he had stayed the cloaked child would have Fireballed him for doing that.

'How can anyone be that cruel to a baby? They are unable to fend for themselves in the world? Why did that man abandon her? Was he her father? Or does he have some other reason for letting her stay here?' She walked over to the child, hoping to give her something to keep warm or help her to town. However, the youth found she couldn't touch the babe at all. Was this some weird dream or something?

"Another day, another failed attempt," a male voice was heard, "Perhaps I should give up and face facts. There is no cure for my curse. L-Sama knows I've tried for over eight years to find one." A man was coming down the road. He had on a sand colored tunic and trousers, as well as a sandy cape. The cape was hooked on by a round ruby, and he also was wearing tan colored gloves and boots. But what was the most recognizable thing about this man was his body. His skin was blue and covered with stones. His purple hair was like wire. And his blue eyes, although seeming to be hard, seemed to be filled with despair.

Suddenly, a white cat jumped down from the tree and began yowling at the man. He looked down at it, and groaned. "With all the luck I have I'm surprised its not a black cat," the man muttered. But when the cat ran into the woods, he followed. The man stopped, however, when he saw the child lying there.

He picked up the child, and she began to fuss. Then, he asked, "What happened to this infant? Is there something wrong with her to cause someone to leave her out in the woods? Wait, this moon shaped pendant has some lettering on it. M-I-N-A F-E-L-I-C-I-A, that must be her name. I guess I'll ask Amelia what to do with her. If I leave her out in the cold, and she finds out, oh boy will I get the justice speech to end all justice speeches from her and her father. And if Lina ever found out, oh boy would I be murdered."

. . .

A bump in the road awoke the girl from her slumber. She was back in the carriage bound for the city of Seyruun with her foster parents and their biological son. They had returned from a trip to see a seer who might help with finding a cure for a certain curse; the transformation from a human to a chimera using magic. However, it was nothing but a dead end. Just like it had been for nearly two long decades now.

The cure in question was for a certain Zelgadis Greywers, Prince Consort of Seyruun. His wife, Princess Amelia wil Tesla Seyruun, had insisted that she help her beloved to locate the cure that could turn him human again. Which, I might add, usually turned into a fiasco if Amelia wasn't watching carefully. She was a nice young woman, but had an obsession with bringing Justice to the world. To her, even helping out those she cared about was spreading Justice. After all, it is definitely NOT Just to leave them in a pinch.

Although Zel was dressed in clothing similar to what he'd worn for years while traveling in search of his cure, Amelia was in a long pink dress with a good amount of jewelry on. There had also been a small tournament in town, and the Seyruun Royal Family had been invited. Thus, she wore her fanciest clothing. Prince Phil hadn't been able to go to it, so she was the only one who could be a "representative" of Seyruun in the diplomatic discussions that were sure to take place. Zel had enjoyed the tournament, but skipped the meetings in order to speak with the old woman. That had been the plan all along. He wasn't one for the social scene as it was. The only time he took part in meetings was during a few key peace treaties.

The kids weren't at the meeting either; they'd gone to see the old woman with Zel. Noel, the boy, wanted to become human as well. As Zel and Amelia's son, he'd been born a chimera. His black hair was just as wiry as his father's, his skin was stone. and his blue eyes showed signs of sorrow. All his life he believed that no one would like him for just "Noel". They would like him as Prince Noel de Greywers Seyruun, grandson of the Crowned Prince Philionel. He was thus often withdrawn from other people. The boy had on a white tunic and breeches, as well as a black cape held on with an amethyst clip. His boots and fingerless gloves were gray, and he had on a pair of gold armbands. Like with his young friend, he had a gold belt. But while the ruby in hers was circular, the ruby imbedded in his was a square on its side.

The girl's name was Mina, Mina Felicia. Found by Zelgadis in the forest as an infant, she had been raised by the royal family as both a daughter and an apprentice sorceress. And there was much she longed to know. Her reasoning for going to see the old lady instead of visiting the delegation with Amelia was to see if there was any spells the woman would teach her. However, she'd been told she was "too young to learn such high level magic." As if that ever stopped Mina before. Even at ten she was able to cast some powerful spells. Her highest level attack, and only phsical Black Magic spell, was the Valis Rod. She and Noel had borrowed some books from Zelgadis that had supposedly belonged to Rezo the Red Priest himself.

Although Noel wasn't determined to learn Black Magic, deciding to stick with White and Shamanic spells instead, the eight year old was also quite strong. Not that he'd ever admit it. He thought he was a total failure. Only Mina, his parents, and his grandfather ever tried to make him feel like something more.

The driver looked back to see the bored looks on the children's faces. "Don't you youngins worry none. We're almost back at Seyruun. Only about an hours ride from here. I know every path in these here woods, so I can get you places much faster than most horsemen." And he did, which was why he was the Royal Driver. There were precious few people in this world that can be trusted with ferrying the royal family.

'Home,' thought Mina, 'Home at last. I wonder, about that dream. Was it my abandonment by my birth father? Or is something else going on. Because the child in that dream was definitely me. I wonder, what are the spirits trying to say?' Her thoughts went unspoken, and her questions unanswered right then.

- - - -

Teefa's Last Words…

Ok, you're all probably wondering what's up with the cloak? There's a good reason, not just a plot device. It'll be explained in a few chapters. Since the entire Royal Family already knows why Mina wears it they don't have to explain. And Noel's skin is supposed to be the same color as Zel's; if the description of him doesn't make it clear enough. Yes I know justice is not a proper noun. But the way Amelia describes it at times it might as well be. So for the sake of a gag, I always capitalize any form of the word.


	2. Attack on the Royal Caravan

Yikes! Attack on the Royal Caravan

Suddenly, the horse began to buck for no apparent reason. Mina felt a presence of evil in the nearby area. She often had such premonitions, and unfortunately they always turned out to be true. But the good part about it was that Mina could sense danger and warn her loved ones in an instant. Even since she was small, the girl had shown a great bond with spiritual beings. Noel had one as well; he just didn't like to use it. Thus, the boy had shut his mind to the spirits' words. Mina, on the other hand, developed hers to the point where she could sense if an attacker was on its way to the palace; as in another plot to assassinate Prince Phil. Not that there were many, with all of his scheming relatives gone and Mina there.

At that instant, a band of trolls jumped out of the clearing. The horse threw his rider and ran off to find safe haven back in his stall. The man landed on the ground, right in front of the lead troll. It appeared as if it was all over for the good driver. For the monster had lifted up its club, ready to strike in an instant.

"Pick on someone your own size for a change," yelled Mina, "LY BRIEM!" With that, she sent a chilling prison of ice to cover the troll attacking the driver. Not only did she manage to freeze him, but she also took out about four others. Not that it dented the attack force any bit, but it was some help to them.

"Source of all souls which dwell in the eternal and infinite. Everlasting flame of blue, let the power hidden in my soul to be called forth from the Infinite. RA-TILT!" chanted both Amelia and Zelgadis at once. Each attack was able to kill from seven to ten trolls, but more kept coming towards the Royal Family.

Noel was trying to run to safety, but he tripped. Being only eight, he didn't think his magic was strong enough to get them by. After all, if he couldn't kill in one hit, the enemy would just regenerate itself over and over again. So he decided to stay out of the way of his parents and foster sister. But due to the sheer number of trolls in the area, there was enough to keep them busy and still chase after the boy Prince.

Mina saw her friend's dilemma and began calling, "Star which passes through heavens' night skies, heed the ancient coven and the Earth, I pledge my life that he may be called forth. FERROUS BLEED!" At once, a heard of wild boar that resided nearby began stampeding through the area. It cut off the trolls' rout to Noel, and gave Mina the time to get over to him. Knowing he couldn't fight well for himself, she had to help him to retreat. So, after casting Levitation, the two flew off into the forest, well hidden from the enemy.

. . .

They were panting, exhausted from the long flight. Also, they were really worried about Amelia and Zelgadis; and the cabby too. Now, they would have twice as many trolls to deal with, due to the fact that there were only half as many targets. But Mina had to do her best to reassure Noel, even though she too was scared out of her wits. "Your parents are great sorcerers, I'm sure they'll be ok. After all, you saw how many trolls they incinerated with only one Ra Tilt. Some day, I'm going to learn spells that powerful too. And I'll start with the Dragon Slave, the spell that Lina Inverse herself uses against many a foe. Who knows Noel, perhaps I'll get time to study under The Great Lina. She can teach me her ultimate spells of chaos."

Noel smiled a bit. Mina was always a real big dreamer, especially when sorcery was concerned. She didn't even remember that Lina was the only one who could call upon the Lord of Nightmares. What would make her think that even studying under the legendary sorceress would give her such power? But if anyone had the power, the will, and the bull headed stubbornness to get it done, it would be Mina Felicia.

At that moment, they heard a rustling in the bushes. Looking up, the duo saw the entire pack of trolls, coming their way. It seems, they were searching for something in particular. Or perhaps, someone. Could there be another plot, one that seeked to use Noel as its focal point? As the Crowned Prince's only grandson, he was in line for the throne after his mom and grandfather were gone. Since Amelia was already married, and her big sister Gracia ran off to L-Sama knows where, Noel was the best choice to launch a plot. It could even be a renegade lord or noble who wanted to put his child on the throne through marriage.

"Time for a little demolition," whispered Mina, "Source of all power, crimson fire burning bright, let thy power gather in my hand. FIREBALL!" She jumped up from the bushes, upturned palm holding the red hot ball of energy. Then, the girl tossed it into the circle of trolls. They were burned to a crisp instantly and fell to the ground. But a few of the trees also caught on fire. If they didn't hurry, the whole forest would go.

"Mina, I think you should have thought before you tossed that Fireball," Noel complained. He and Mina were running to find some water to put out the fire. Neither of them knew how to create it instantly, as neither Amelia nor Zel had the knowledge to teach them. But the fire was spreading fast, and soon all of the clearing was burning. Mina became frantic, where in the world would they find enough water to put it all out?

Suddenly, the sound of approaching storm clouds could be heard. Then, a downpour of rain fell on the clearing. Both of the youths were soaked, they would need to dry off their clothes. But at least the fire had been put out. Noel began to wonder why the rain had started to fall at the very instant they needed.

Mina informed him, "I bet the spirits heard my pleas. They're always answering me when I need help. This I why I told you to learn about them. You see how I can sense danger, keep our enemies at bay, and also send out please of desperation. I can feel them now, the water spirits are present in that storm. They aided us by putting out the fire. Now then, let's go find a place where we can dry off for a little bit."

The two walked on through the woods a few minutes. Finally, they came upon a small cabin in the forest. After making sure nobody was home, they went inside. There, Noel took off his shirt and began to dry it out. He couldn't very well take off his pants, so this would have to do. Mina opened a window and made a fire for them to warm up with. But she didn't take off her cloak, even though it was soaking wet.

'Is she still self conscious about that time? Or did the spirits tell her something again? I don't get Mina sometimes. She can be so insensible. You know she'll be the one who catches a cold after this. I hope we get home soon, this place is starting to creep me out. But why did all the trolls attack us? I saw the number that were still remaining after we ran, and it was the same as those in the clearing. Is it part of whatever vision Mina had? Whatever it is, I have a really bad feeling about the future in store for us now.'

- - - -

Teefa's Last Words…

So, add more mystery and make the kids fight alone. The explanation of "that time" will be coming up soon. We'll meet the third main character in the next chapter after all.


	3. Introducing the Swordswoman Sandi

A New Ally, Introducing the Swordswoman Sandi

When the rain stopped, Mina and Noel left the cabin to return to the forest. It was now up to them to find the right path in order to get home again. But they didn't go more than two feet when they heard a small scream. Running towards the area where the sound emitted, they found a band of brigands had all surrounded a young girl. She had short curly blond hair and green eyes. A red tunic was worn around her body, but they couldn't see the type or color of pants as they were surrounded by long steel greaves. Long steel gauntlets were around her hands and arms, and she also had a steel breastplate with two long pieces of metal that guarded her sides. In her hair was a headband. The girl looked to be no older than twelve years.

"C'mon little girl, just come with us," one thief said, "We're not going to hurt you, unlike what we did to your pathetic excuse for a master. All we want is for you to join our gang. We pay well, and can always use a young one with great talent. Play your cards right, and I might even let you become my mate." He and his buddies roared with laughter at that crack. But the girl's face was still as stern as a scolding mom.

"How DARE you hurt Master Ian. I'll get my revenge for him. Take this!" With that, she held out a long sword and struck the laughing bandit. He was impaled through the heart, and killed instantly. The other men weren't finished though, they'd make this whelp understand one way or another. She didn't back down from their challenges, even though it would be a losing battle. There were just too many for one person to fight.

Mina called out, "You hoo boys, how about you come over here for a little. There's plenty of you to go around, if you take on all three of us at once." She jumped down the small rocky ledge to land right next to the girl. Noel, after a moment's hesitation, joined Mina on the ground. He really didn't look like he was happy to be there. But his mom had told him to never ignore someone in trouble, and her words won out.

One thief looked at Mina, and smiled a wicked smile. "Awfully young for such tough words. I think you could use some manner lessons. I'll be the one to give them to you. First, it's not polite to go around wearing a cloak over your face. C'mon, let me see your pretty features. Or are you too ugly to show me?"

"I say you're the one with no manners," retorted Mina, "Trying to take an innocent girl by force like that. You really picked the wrong girl to mess with. I don't take well to brigands like you, and I happen to be in a bad mood. So, just for you, how about a FIREBALL!" With that, she fried a trio of brigands at once.

"That's it! Brat, you're going down. Oh, how I will enjoy doing this. You're going to come with me and I'll make you pay for hurting my men," the leader told her. He had been sitting in the background, just waiting for his followers to finish. The swordswoman's desperation didn't bother him, he'd broken the spirits of girls much more stubborn than her, but it was Mina's arrogance that ticked him off. Now she'd get it.

Mina whispered, "If you want to live, I'd suggest running away now. But, if you continue to pester me and my friends, then I'll be forced to show my hand. Try one more thing buddy, and I'll go Lina Inverse on you." That was a popular threat among sorcerers these days, threatening to invoke the Inverse temper.

The thief leader saw the gleam in her eye, she would do it too. This child had both the power and the will to deliver such a cruel fate. He looked to his men, and gulped. "I'll be good miss, just spare my life. In fact, I was just saying that we should leave you all alone and go home." He then ran back through the woods to where his hideout was. All his men followed. Mina, satisfied, let them run off in peace. Although she wasn't below destroying bandit hideouts to end their lives of thievery, as her idol did in the past and probably still does, she was in a hurry to get home.

"Anyway, thank you for saving me," the girl stated, "My name is Sandi, Sandi Lexford. I'm an apprentice swordswoman to Master Ian Lorenze. Or, was an apprentice swordswoman. Those fiends took the life of my master, and then tried to force me to come with them. Can you help me out of these woods so I can find a new master to teach me the art of swordsmanship? That's my life's dream, to be stronger."

"Sure, just come with us to Seyruun. Heroes are common in the White Magic Capital of the world. So it should be no problem finding a good master there. My name is Mina Felicia, a sorceress in training under Prince Consort Zelgadis Greywers, and Princess Amelia wil Tesla Seyruun. This is Noel, my foster brother. He too is in training as a sorcerer," Mina replied. She knew she could trust Sandi not to use their relation for her own gain. Part of hearing spirits meant reading auras. Sandi's aura was filled with pain and sadness, but it was still one filled with purity. That wasn't uncommon; those who suffered usually felt a lot of sympathy for others who are down and out. Of course, there are lunatics who think they should use the fact that they suffered to justify all sorts of retribution, but they're in the fair minimum in the world today. Mina vowed to ask Sandi about what was in her aura later on. For now, they had to find a way back home.

. . .

As they walked, Sandi asked her, "Mina, why do you have that cloak on? It seems awfully big and bulky. Does it get in the way? Besides, nobody can see what you look like when you're wearing it at all." She looked her new friend straight in the eye, and saw reflections of a sad story beginning to form in them.

Mina took a look at her hand, and removed the glove. Burn marks riddled it. "I was only three when it happened. Demons tried to take the palace for some reason. Nobody knows how they got past the old barrier around Seyruun. But in that attack, as I ran to check on Noel, one of them sent out a lash of fire that covered me from head to toe. All of my hair was burnt off, and there are markings all over my body. For some reason, the burns weren't life threatening though. But they're so disfiguring to look at that I put on the cloak to cover up my shame. I never take it off, lest someone see my disaster ridden face. At least my hair grew back, but different from before. The shade is much darker. Well, that's enough about me for now."

'You're dodging the question,' Noel thought, 'Mina, you won't tell her what exactly is wrong. The burns on your face, they make strange patterns. A flame on the right cheek, a magic circle on the left one, and a Celtic Braid on your forehead. The seers believe they symbolize something. Are you as afraid as I am? Could these powers and the great sorcery in your possession at a young age be a sign of destiny?'

- - - -

Teefa's Last Words…

I know, she's just like Zel. Extremely self conscious about her appearance. As a baby, her hair was blond but nobody knows her exact shade now. And I thought the burn mark thing would be cool.


	4. The Two Terrors of Zoana

Rivalry, the Two Terrors of Zoana

The three friends hadn't gone far when they saw a pair of shadows coming towards them. One was a female, the other was male. It appeared as if they were over eight feet tall, and Noel panicked a bit. He ducked for cover behind Mina, who held her hands out to cast a spell as Sandi drew her sword, Wing Blade.

"Well, I never thought we'd meet like this," the girl called, "The Prince of Seyruun, out here with only a pair of children to guard him. Now, we will take him back with us to Zoana, and present him as an offering for Lord Zoamelgustar!" At that time, the ground seemed to rip open and the team jumped. But Mina could not sense any movement from the spirits that controlled Earth Shamanism. Rather, it appeared as if the spell was a curse of some sort. She landed right in front of her attackers, to see a very different picture.

The girl was about her age and height, with aqua hair and black eyes. She had on a skimpy black bikini with a gold star on the front of the bottom. Also, she had on black boots and gloves that billowed out in front and had a similar star pattern on them. In the center of the star was a good sized circular sapphire.

The boy seemed to be Noel's age, albeit taller, and had long curly black hair with one piece flopping over his face and blue eyes. He was wearing a long tan tunic with black breeches. Tan boots were on his feet, and on his head was a tan floppy hat with a black band. A golden belt with a sapphire clip was around his waist, with a sword sheath attached to it. In his hands, he held a long sword with a demonic emblem.

"And you would be?" inquired Mina. She let out a sigh; these wackos were no older than they were. Also, they had one less fighter. She could blow the two of them to hell and back with only the flick of her finger, and that didn't speak of what help Sandi and Noel would also be able to give. So what was with this?

The girl held out a creepy demonic pendant, shouting, "We are Princess Scarlet and Prince Blain of Zoana; servants of the Great Demon Zoamelgustar! In order to conquer the world, we need to eliminate the threat of Justice from Seyruun. So, we will sacrifice its entire Royal Family to our lord. Starting with the boy Prince. This encounter was divinely given by our Lord Zoamelgustar, and we must not let it go to waste!"

With that, Scarlet began drawing a circle on the ground with a stick. As the three watched her work in disbelief, Blain stole a possession of each. He got Noel's glove, Mina's pendant, and Sandi's favorite hair piece. Giving them to his older sister, she held the three articles up into the air. "Feel the infinite terror of the Monstrous Zoamelgustar, fools. Now, come forth lightning!" She threw her hands up in a welcome sign.

At first, nothing happened. But suddenly, the sky grew dark and a bolt tried to hit the three. Also, due to whatever mistake Scarlet had made, the attack came back on her and her brother as well. So all five kids were running all over the forest, doing their best to avoid the lightning. Noel got struck once, but his stone skin seemed to protect him. However, when Scarlet and Blain were shocked, they both felt the burn.

"You moron!" Mina yelled, "You should know that lightning strikes indiscriminately! What kind of a third rate sorceress are you that you summon a spell to attack your side as well as that of your enemies! Or else you serve a god that has no sense of direction!" She countered a bolt aimed at her with Mono Volt.

"Lord Zoamelgustar is always on our side. He craves blood, and by offering our own we make him aid us more. But he also longs for true human sacrifices. That is why we chose the Seyruun Royal Family, their Justice is an enemy to his power of destruction," Scarlet retorted. Then, she was struck by a bolt.

They ran for what seemed like hours; getting hopelessly lost in the process. By the time the storm ran out of steam, Scarlet and Blain had been shocked at least ten times. How they still lived to tell the tale was beyond me, but Mina thinks that idiots like them could never get killed. She proceeded to hit both of them over the head and take back the items. Noel put his glove back on and Sandi threaded her hair clip back through her hair. Mina held her pendant close as she thought about the parents who gave it to her.

Blain stated, "It appears as though Lord Zoamelgustar has fated you to live another day. Today was just a test of our powerful curse, and our abilities to help him in his divine mission. Now that you know the terror, you will be watching over your shoulder every moment in order to find out when we try to attack you."

Mina's hands began to glow. "I didn't think it was very funny. As for being afraid of your little curse, I won't be fooled the next time. You need one of our possessions to complete the spell; it's not simple like my magic. So next time, you won't even get the chance to steal our stuff. And speaking of that, how dare you brats take my pendant?! That was a gift from my mother and father! You are so dead now, Fireball!" The spell incinerated both Blain and Scarlet, leaving them smoking on the ground. Taking advantage of her foes' unconsciousness, Mina began leading her friends through the woods to find their way home. It wasn't long before Martina found both of her kids in that pickle though, and she vowed her revenge once again.

. . .

"Well, that was a bust," Sandi muttered, "I didn't even have to use my sword to fight them. Well, in any case, I'm grateful for your again Mina. You're so strong for one so young. No wonder someone with as much magical power as Prince Consort Zelgadis Greywers of Seyruun took you in as his first apprentice."

"He's not just my master at sorcery, he's my adoptive father. He found me in the forest as a little baby, abandoned. But something tells me that my birth parents are still out there, somewhere, and want to bring me home. Perhaps some sinister plot separated me from them. I usually don't talk about this with my family because Zel's a cynic and Amelia and Phil will just go into a speech about how any abandonment is completely un-Just. Noel's the only one who knows about what I felt when I hear the spirits," she replied.

Sandi exclaimed, "You hear the spirits?! That's so cool. I wish I could do something like that."

Noel looked at Mina, noticing her sigh. 'It is said to be a rare gift to communicate with spirits. Only those who are in the priesthood can develop such powers, and only really strong members of that group as well. But for normal humans to be born with the power is a one in a million shot. So why are both me and Mina able to use that skill? There is definitely something wrong with this picture, and I'll find out what it is.'

- - - -

Teefa's Last Words…

Oi, that was their best attempt? Remember whose kids they are. When did Martina and Zangulus ever do anything right? Well, unless it involved delay tactics. Gourry always kicked Zangulus's butt, and Martina usually messed her own trap up before Lina was able to blow her up.


	5. Mina's Rage Peaks

Battle! Mina's Rage Peaks

The three continued searching through the forest as the night crept in on them. When the sun went down, Mina ordered a halt. She figured it would be better to wait it out and try for Seyruun once again in the morn. Then, she ordered everyone to get to work. Sandi had to find a good amount of twigs and branches to make a fire with. Noel had to sort out all three of their rations into a reasonable dinner. It was Mina who had to light the fire and do the cooking. So, once Sandi brought back the firewood, she used Fireball on it.

"Now let's see," Noel stated, "Sandi has a package of jerky, a candy bar, and some gum. Mina and I each have a small pack of trail mix and a few mints. Doesn't look like much of a meal to me." He gave a look to tell the girls how hungry he really was. They hadn't eaten since the luncheon after the tournament.

"Wait! Is that a Water Spirit I feel? There could be a stream nearby. Maybe we can go fishing," said Mina. She walked off towards the east a little, and discovered the stream she was looking for. The only problem was that neither she nor Noel knew how to fish. It was said that Lina Inverse had a spell to aid in catching fish, but they didn't know it. Certainly, she had never taught Amelia or Zelgadis her little trick.

Sandi grabbed a branch from the ground, and reached into her pocket. She told the others, "I have some string in here as well as a pin that can serve as a hook. That's all we need. For bait, we can use my jerky. Don't worry; I'm an expert at this. Master Ian taught me all about how to survive in the woods alone."

The swordswoman went to work and soon there were a lot of fish in their bag. Once the jerky ran out, Sandi still was able to catch a few with some simple motions of the hook in light created by Mina. So they ran back to camp to cook up what they wanted. After feasting for awhile, Mina and Noel took some of the salt packets they had with them for seasoning--Noel loved things extra salty--and preserved the rest.

Then it was time to settle down. All three told stories around the campfire; some were the usual scary tales, while others were childhood anecdotes. Finally, they decided to divide the night into three parts so each could take a watch. Sandi went first since she didn't like sleeping. Mina was second because of the darkest and most dangerous part of the night was in the middle. Noel took the time before dawn broke.

. . .

Mina awoke to a funny sound. She noticed that she was still in the clearing with Sandi, but Noel was nowhere to be found. As she listened closer, she realized that the sound was a muffled scream, as if a captive was trying to call out for help. Ten to one it was Noel, so she woke Sandi up to help her find him.

The girl was nervous, she knew something was wrong. "They must have attacked him from behind while he was on guard. We think he's the reason why the carriage was attacked and we were split from his parents in the first place. For some odd reason, the trolls were more intent in following us than in fighting Amelia and Zelgadis, who were attacking them. Something isn't right, and Noel is at the center of it all."

Soon, they arrived at a clearing. The girls could see Noel hanging from a tree; tied and gagged as well. Around the captive stood a few Lesser Demons, and a strange man. But Mina knew he was definitely not human. He didn't feel like a Mazoku either. Nor was he a Dragon. The enemy was a type of spirit being that was as different from Mazoku as the Mazoku were from Dragons. However, he was still evil.

"Bah, I can't believe how easy it was to capture the key," the man muttered, "This child was all by his lonesome while his girlfriends slumbered. Sounds like their little plan turned on them. Now then, all I need is one more key and then the curse will be completed. Now where can the other one have gotten to?"

"How dare he do something like this to Noel? If I was only a little older, I'd go Lina Inverse on him and cast a Dragon Slave. I'll definitely have to learn that spell one day if I'm to ever become worthy of trying to cast the Ultimate Spells of Chaos that she knows. We've gotta trick him somehow," Mina whispered.

But then she saw the man coming closer to Noel, ready to hurt him for whatever plan he had. Even though Mina got nothing out of his conversation--no idea what he meant by "key"--she knew her friend was in danger. Suddenly, her whole body caught on fire with her anger, and her eyes turned to a blood red color.

Sandi warned, "Mina, be careful. What if he sees you? Or worse off, what if the Demons see you? You'll be fried in an instant." But her pleas fell on deaf ears. Mina walked off into the clearing, announcing her presence to the world. All the Lesser Demons saw her, and began to move in towards Mina to kill her.

But the fire seemed to give Mina more strength than she'd ever had before. Casting a Dill Brand, the girl managed to toss all of them at once. As they lay on the ground, stunned, the girl cast Flare Bit to burn them to a crisp. Sandi was shocked; a normal Flare Bit shouldn't cause that much damage to a human target much less a Demon. Some other force was greatly increasing the power of Mina's magic.

The leader heard the commotion, and turned to investigate. "What are you doing here? You have no right to come barging into my camp and burning all of my men. You're going to taste my fury now, brat. Once you're out of the way, I'll be on mine. Nothing is going to stop me from completing my ultimate plan."

"You should never have tried to hurt Noel," Mina informed him, "All those who oppose me and try to hurt my friends get fried. Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows. Buried in the flow of time is where your power grows. I pledge myself to conquer all the foes that stand. Before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand. Those who oppose us shall be destroyed by the power you and I possess. DRAGON SLAVE!" With that, the great spell that called upon the power of the Dark Lord that ruled their world, Shabranigdo, began to form in Mina's hands. It sped towards the wicked man, pushing him back.

"Mistress, I am sorry that I failed," the man gasped out. Then, he died and faded away for good.

Sandi had taken this opportunity to cut Noel down from the tree. It was only after this that she saw Mina crumpled in a heap on the ground. Noel went towards his friend as he worried about her condition. He informed Sandi, "She shouldn't be able to cast that spell, the only Black Magic she knows is Valiss Rod. So why has she suddenly called upon the power of Shabranigdo? Darn it, I don't think I can help her. The energy she used to cast the Dragon Slave is enormous. At her age and power level, it was too much. So she was injured badly, just like the time where Lina Inverse was injured casting the True Ragna Blade."

Suddenly, Noel's hands began to glow with a light from another source. He felt his own power level grow, and all of the extra strength seemed to flow into Mina's body. She sat up, and held her injured head. "Man, that was a trip. I wonder how I did that. I don't even remember how to cast the spell. Oh well, I don't have enough energy to do so anyway. Maybe in a few years I'll go to a guild and learn that spell for real."

- - - -

Teefa's Last Words…  
  
I can write a real good mystery, can I? My friends would all be stumped if they weren't privy to the inside information. Unfortunately, everyone else will have to wait awhile to see it resolved. What are the "keys" the man spoke of after taking Noel? Who is his mistress? And what happened to give Mina and Noel such extra bursts of strength when they needed to help the other? All of this is found in the resolution of the story. By that I mean the third installment of the trilogy.


	6. Home Sweet Home Again

Safe, Home Sweet Home Again

After the encounter in the woods, the three friends continued to try to find their way out. It wasn't long after that they found something familiar; well, to Mina at least. "This is the spot from my dream, the one where Zelgadis finds me in the clearing and takes me back to Seyruun. From here we can find the way back. Let's see, Zel was traveling north in the dream, the sun rose only a few hours ago in the east, so it must be this way." She began running down the path and the others followed her. They were almost home.

Shortly after leaving the woods, they beheld the city of Seyruun spreading out before them. A tear came to Mina's eye as she saw the place she was raised in. Noel kissed the ground in joy and began to run for the gates. On the way, he crashed into a group of soldiers on patrol. It appeared as if Amelia and Zel had returned home to get help in finding the two missing children. Luck had it that they found the help.

"Your parents are in the forest searching for you," one informed him, "Master Noel, would you like me to take any message to them when I tell them that you two are ok. But who is your new friend there?"

"Her name is Sandi, and she helped Mina and I when we were lost. We would have starved had it not been for her knowledge of survival. Although, Mina blew up most of the trouble we encountered, she also did some fighting when the brigands were around. Sandi needs a new swordsmaster, so we decided to take her here to find one," Noel said. Relief permeated his voice, it was good to simply be back home.

The guards ran to find Amelia and Zelgadis. It wasn't long before the two came running out of the woods with relief; well, Amelia did the running and cheering while Zel simply sighed in relief. Happy to have her son and foster daughter home, Amelia proposed a great feast for that night. There would be singing and dancing and all sorts of food. Sandi was invited as well; she did have a hand in helping them get home.

. . .

Zelgadis stated, "So, you're looking for a swordsmaster. Well, I would be willing to give you some pointers. After all, it appears as if you are a natural at it. Besides, at this point, Mina is less willing to learn from us and more inclined to go and try to figure out new spells in books. So, I've got a little more free time. Think of this as a reward for helping the two of them when they were lost out there." He ate a bite of beef.

Sandi smiled. "Thank you Master Zelgadis. I will learn whatever you have to teach, and become the best swordswoman I can be. My Master told me when he took me on that he saw the potential to be a match for some of the most famous swordsmen in history, and I believed him. He was a kindly man, and a great believer in the potential each of us has. Precisely why he rescued me in the first place." She then put her hand over her mouth; those words had just slipped out. It wasn't something she liked to talk about.

"What happened Sandi?" asked Mina, "Are you ok? I knew there was sorrow in your past, but never got around to asking about it. If there's anything I can do for you, as a friend, then you can ask it of me."

"Thanks, nothing really can be done. My family was poor and had too many kids. I was the only girl as well as being the youngest. So, my dad decided to sell me into slavery. I was afraid of the men at the market; they seemed to want something else I didn't know about. After all, I was only seven so I had no idea about suggestive things. But then Master Ian came along. He saw my fear and the potential I had all mixed into one. So he used his own money to buy my freedom and took me on as an apprentice. If my own family couldn't see my worth, then he would have to do it for them," she told them, tears in her eyes.

Mina whispered, "I can sympathize with you since I was also abandoned. But let's take the good with the bad. You got swordsmanship training instead of being starved in a house with not enough food. I was taken in by a pair of sorcery masters, and given training in that art. Both of us had someone we could look up to as a parent and a friend. So even though horrible things have happened, we got through them."

Sandi dried her eyes. "You're right. No matter how dark the situation, we should always look on the bright side of things. Humans, unlike Gods and Mazoku, posses the power to chose between right and wrong. Our own choices can give us the power to free ourselves from the sorrows of the past. I'll become someone that will make my parents regret ever selling me for cash. That is the sweetest revenge of all."

"Justice is with the two of you," Amelia added, "Keep fighting for what you believe in, and make sure to never let the sorrows engulf the happiness. That is the way to live life to the fullest. Now then, a toast to Justice!" She raised her glass upwards, and the other two did the same. Noel and Zel followed reluctantly.

'The two of you are hopelessly optimistic. Good may help at times, but there are still many sorrows in this world to fight through. Your parents should have been good to their children instead of getting rid of them. Showing them up wont change anything, they don't have a real consciousness inside,' Zel thought.

. . .

The party went on until late in the night. Finally, it was over only because Mina, Noel, and Sandi had to go to bed. As the child sorceress let out a yawn, she drifted off to dreamland. This time, she could see shadowed figures guarding her instead of throwing her away. A distorted woman's voice told her lover, "Keep them distracted while I find a place to hide Mina. We'll come back for her once the enemy is gone. No one is going to hurt my child while I live. Now go on, get out of here and smash some Demon hide!"

The male shadow ran off towards a hoard of Demons that were coming at them. At the same time, the woman searched for a place to hide her baby. Finally, she settled on a tree stump hidden in the tall grass. Placing the cooing infant inside, a tear fell down her face. "Don't worry; I'll come back for you when the fighting is over. This hurts me as much as it hurts you. When the enemy is killed, we'll take you to town and get you a nice toy to make up for what we put you through." Kissing the child's cheek, she turned back towards the battle. A ball of energy began to form in her hands; she was ready to cast a Fireball.

. . .

'Were those, my birth parents?' wondered Mina, 'They really did love me then. But who was the shadow in my other dream then? The one who took me away to Seyruun's forest. One of these days I'll find my answer. I owe it to the people who loved and protected me to return to tell them that I'm alive.'

- - - -

Teefa's Last Words…

Volume one of three is over. The next volume features three new friends, new enemies, the plot thickening somewhat, and the arrival of more charas from Slayers. I know it isn't a real long one but a person can only stretch the concept of three kids lost in the woods for so long. The next one is a little longer, and the third is the longest of them all.


End file.
